


The Swarm

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: #666foryou [379]
Category: Damien (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Mild Language, Post-Series, Religious Conflict, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 20:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8175374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: He doesn't want to be the new God to lead them.  He doesn't want any of this, but he knows with absolute certainty every time he looks at Simone that this is his cross to bear.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Date Written: 30 September 2016  
> Word Count: 1627  
> Prompt: "The Swarm" by Sylvia Plath  
> Summary: He doesn't want to be the new God to lead them. He doesn't want any of this, but he knows with absolute certainty every time he looks at Simone that this is his cross to bear.  
> Spoilers: Post-series, taking place three days after the events of episode 01x10 "Ave Satani." Beyond that, everything we learned in these 10 episodes is up for grabs.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Series: #666foryou  
> Series: Ariel  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Damien," "The Omen," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Glen Mazzara, David Seltzer, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21, and A&E Television Networks. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Damien," "The Omen," A&E, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Okay, this is yet another attempt at post-series canon compliance that I think worked out. I'm rather proud of how this turned out, even as I know there are bits that are still rough and not _quite_ sitting right with me. I will likely return to this little AU. Who knows, I may see if I can figure out how to tie it in with that other canon compliant post-series AU I did. Not the Alliances sub-arc though. This is an entirely different vibe.
> 
> Dedication: This is part of a series of stories to thank the phenomenal creative team of _Damien_ , both in front of and behind the camera.
> 
> Beta: theonlyspl

"It thinks they are the voice of God  
Condoning the beak, the claw, the grin of the dog  
Yellow-haunched, a pack-dog,  
Grinning over its bone of ivory  
Like the pack, the pack, like everybody."  
\-- Sylvia Plath, "The Swarm"

 

For days afterward, they keep coming. They converge on the cemetery, camping in the surrounding woods to be close to the holy site. The security teams are on constant rotations to keep everything as peaceful as possible. Flowers and letters pile up around the exact site where the Beast accepted his destiny. No one can figure out exactly how that happens, when the area is so heavily guarded.

Even stranger is the group that settles in the meadow where the RV still stands. He half-expects to hear that some of them have torn it apart for souvenirs or moved in, effectively becoming squatters, but they all remain at a respectful distance. He wants to go back to the RV, to retrieve the few items he'd left behind. Not because they have sentimental value, but because he understands now the powerful talismans they'll become to these faithful masses. He's not an idiot, and understands the power of belief, particularly for those who have nothing but their faith to keep them alive.

But this isn't him. This isn't what he wants for his life. This constant need for guards to keep the throngs from trampling or suffocating him in their fervent desire to just step closer and touch him. They want the benediction of knowing that he has seen and heard them. This isn't how it's supposed to be. He doesn't want to be the new God to lead them. He doesn't want any of this, but he knows with absolute certainty every time he looks at Simone that this is his cross to bear.

After three days of hiding and letting his wounds heal, keeping an eye on Simone as she deals with the reality that she is now connected to him by blood, he realizes that he needs to do something to snap her out of the fugue state she seems to have fallen into. Ann tells him it's a coping mechanism, a kind of shock that allows her to process on her own time. The problem is that he doesn't think she's processing anything. Not that he's doing much better, but this is different.

The security teams bring him the letters and cards left behind at both the cemetery and the RV. He's let them pile up, wanting nothing more than to burn the whole lot of them, but something stops him from find a lighter or matches. Ann and Captain Dislo have both made noises about him answering them, or at the very least making an appearance to calm the faithful. He thinks an appearance will only whip them up into a frenzy that will require more people dying in the suppression attempts.

By the afternoon of that third day, Ann finds him sitting in the sun with Simone. He just holds her close and tries to get her to eat something. She takes the piece of pizza, eating it mechanically, and he takes the action for the win that it is. Neither of them have had a proper shower, but sponge baths have done wonders. He won't admit that he misses the tenderness she'd shown him in the RV when cleaning his wounds.

"You need to speak to them, Damien," Ann says softly, a myriad of emotions flitting across her eyes, none of which he can easily name. "They want to know that you still live."

"I thought they'd just _know_ if I died or something," he replies, returning his attention to Simone. "Or am I invincible now?"

"Oh no, you're far from it. If someone wanted to, they could still use the daggers on you. It would probably worse for you now than before your sacrifice for her life."

The pain in her voice puts him on edge, but he's not entirely sure why. "So what am I supposed to do? Hide for the rest of my life? That's bullshit, Ann, and you know it."

"We have two of the daggers in our possession," she finally says, patting the black leather purse she carries constantly now. "The Vatican has four, unless something has happened to them. And then there's the missing dagger that no one has been able to find."

"I thought you knew were all of them were?"

She lets out a mirthless bark of laughter. "Not hardly, or I'd have the missing one in my possession."

"And what about you, Ann?" he asks, studying her face for a long moment. "Will you use them on me? Force me to do your bidding? Create your wars and unleash chaos on billions of innocent people?"

"You mistake me for Lyons. He was the one that wanted war, power, and dominion over all. Including you. I've already told you what I want, Damien, and that hasn't changed."

"Just to be near me? And you don't think that sounds odd?"

She shrugs and offers a self-deprecating smile. "You're all I have left in this world, Damien. Your happiness, your safety, your _life_ is all that matters. If I fail you in any way, my life is forfeit to the Power I serve."

"So you serve me then?"

"No, I serve Power. It goes by many names, most notably Satan and Lucifer. Power is your true father, Damien, and if I don't do as I promised all those years ago, I will pay the price for it."

Damien studies her for another moment, then shakes his head. "This is still a bunch of insane bullshit, Ann. I'm not God."

"No, you're not, and you're not meant to be. You are the Beast, the Deliverer, the Antichrist, the one to bring about a new age of enlightenment."

"But what the hell does that mean? Those people out there? The ones at the cemetery and in the meadow? They worship me like I'm some divine being that will grant all their wishes or cure all of their ills or something. How in the hell do I do that, huh? I didn't ask for this."

She blinks placidly and licks her lips, pointing at Simone. "No, you didn't, but you accepted it in exchange for her life. Now it's time for you to start doing what you agreed to."

"That's my point!" he shouts, standing so quickly, his chair falls behind him. The movement makes Simone flinch slightly. "What is it I'm supposed to be doing? Where are the angels to teach me what to do? Or I guess, since I'm the son of Satan, I should be asking where the fucking demons are, right? Or is there some kind of ancient manual that I need to decipher first?"

"You need to get them to follow you, trust you implicitly."

He gestures and spins in a circle. "So the fact that they have me literally surrounded and more keep arriving every day isn't proof of that already?"

She shakes her head. "Not exactly, no. Some of them will believe that you are the second coming of Christ. His followers are more dogmatic than yours. Sister Greta was proof of that."

Mention of the nun makes him frown. "I admit that I wanted to hurt her for what she did to me, but killing her? I'm not comfortable with that. And don't you dare get me started about what Lyons did to Amani."

She laughs again and shakes her head. "You're not comfortable with two deaths done in your name when you killed how many of the soldiers, not to mention John Lyons himself? I think we need to work on your definition of what is and isn't acceptable death."

"Lyons got what he deserved for killing Amani." The undercurrent of a growl turns his voice almost inhuman, and he sees her shudder at the sound. That makes him smile. "The security goons? They were going to kill Simone on Lyons' word, just for being with me when I ran. I wasn't about to let her die."

"And what about the situation with Shay when he cornered you?"

"You mean when he shot Kelly? He's lucky I was more interested in saving her, or he'd be dead, too."

"That's not what I was talking about, though I understand your reasoning. I meant when he had you cornered outside the cemetery. How is it that the flashbang managed to only stun him and not you or Simone? Captain Dislo's men said it should have landed right in the middle of you three."

"I don't know. Maybe adrenalin played a role in me and Simone surviving that."

"Or maybe it was Power's way of setting all of the chess pieces where they needed to be on the board for you to accept your birthright. Have you considered that?"

He sighs and scrubs at his face. "If I say maybe, will that get you off my back for a while about preaching to the masses?"

"Perhaps." The smallest smile plays at her lips as she tilts her head and studies him. "You could always take a shower and clean up, then make a video that we share with them. At least until you're ready to face them yourself."

"Simone is--"

"I know," she replies, cutting smoothly. "Simone is your top priority. I can have a full medical team here, physical and psychological, to help her out. You just need to say the word, Damien."

"Just-- Let me try one more day with her, then you can bring in whoever you think will help. And find Shay and bring him to me. _Unharmed_. I mean it. I want to talk to him."

"I live to serve."


End file.
